Veteran BJP and leader Davangere North MLA S A Raveendranath stated that religious leaders must not indulge in politics and they must not rally behind an individual.
Speaking to media persons on Wednesday, he said he is also Veerashaiva Lingayat. Jagadish Shettar, Murugesh Nirani and Umesh Katti are also Lingayat leaders and all are devotees of the mutts. Under such circumstances, it is unbecoming of religious leaders to speak on behalf of a single leader, he said.
Objecting to support extended by Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and M B Patil to the chief minister, he said they must not extend support to the BJP leader, being a part of Congress. If they have genuine concern towards the chief minister, let them quit Congress and embrace BJP, he suggested.
On change of leadership in Karnataka, he said the party high command would take a call on it and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa too has told the same to seers of mutts.